Blueprint washing machine



y 1944310 5. T. HowAD BLUEPRINT WASHING MACHINE Filed June 27-, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet l y 19449 5. T. HOWARD 2,349,823

BLUEPRINT WASHING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 any:

k) if Z2] ZV/oodami Patented May 30, .1944

oFFlcs" BLUEPRINT WASHING MACHINE Styles T. Howard, Jeflersonvllle, Ind.v Application June 27, 1941, Serial No. 400,951

' 2 Claims (01. 95-89) (Granted under the act of March 3,

amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 7 7) The invention described herein, ifpatented may be manufactured and used by or for the Government forgovernmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to and has for a purpose the provision of ablueprint or photographic film washer and developer which is especiallyadapted to subject the print or film to various treating or developingoperations.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an apparatusequipped with means for securing prints or films on 'a revolvable drumwhich can be rotated during the processing or treating operations andthereby effect a uniform treatment of the print or film.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whichoperates in such a manner as to continually agitate the processingsolution during the treating or developing operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus having meanswhereby the drum of the apparatus containing the film or print may bereadily detached to permit another drum to be substituted for treatingother films or prints.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus having meansfor so mounting the drum that it can be conveniently transferred fromone solution to another without the necessity of waiting to drain a usedtray and refill the same, thereby providing for a continuous treatingoperation for the film or print.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will befree of complicated mechanism, simple and inexpensive, and possess theability to be operated by one unskilled in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists of features of construction, arrangement and operation of partswhich will appear in the specification and be finally pointed out in theclaims. I

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, it will beunderstood that slight changes in form and minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the inventionand falling beyond the scope of the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, in which similar characters andreferences in the several figures indicate identical parts.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved apparatus embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially in the line 4-4 ofFig. 1..

Reference now being made to the drawings by numerals, it! indicates anelongated tank having three semi-circular bottoms, |I, 'I2 and I3, whichdivide the main tank l into three separate tanks, into which are placedthe solutions necessary to completely process the fllmsor prints in acontinuous treating operation. The lower edge or periphery M of the tankl0 formed by the walls I is fiat, so that the tank may be set on a flatsurface without any liability of being upset.

The tanks ll, l2 and l3 are equipped with drains l6, l1 and I8,respectively, which are adapted to drain the tanks so that the solutioncan be replenished after the processing has been completed.

The side walls of the elongated tank have depressions or bearings, asshown at I9, 20, 2|, 22 and 23, which are adapted to receive the shaft2! on which is mounted a drum 25 adapted to receive on the outerperiphery thereof photographic films 01 prints to be processed. Thisdrum consists of circular side plates26 of sheet metal or similarmaterial, and a cylinder 21 of wire netting or 017.161 reticulatedfabric secured to and extending between the circular side plates, thedrum being so constructed that thoroughmirculation of water and solutionis permitted.

The drum 25 is adapted to be rotated in the depressions or bearingswithin the tank by means of a handle 28. Mounted longitudinally on thedrum -25 is a clamp 29 adapted to clamp over the edges of the films orprints to retain them on the drum While they are being processed.Connected to r the ends of the clamp 29 are springs 30 which are rigidlysecured at the outer ends to the side plates 26. The springs 30 areretained in guides 3i, and are adapted to place tension on the clamp toprevent the films or prints from shifting during the processing.Intermediate the ends of the clamp 29 is a handle 32 which is adapted tobe grasped by the operator to raise the clamp against the tension of thesprings 30 so that the operator can slip the edges of the print or filmunder the clamp.

A transfer frame composed of a shaft 33 lying parallel to shaft 24 has ahandle 34 formed on one end thereof and has rigidly secured thereto atboth ends transfer bars 35 which lie parallel to the side walls l5.These transfer bars have bearings 36 ,in the free ends thereof, that areadapted to rotatably receive the shaft 24. By means of this transferframe, the drum 25 can be transferred from one tank to the other bymerely turning the handle 34 in either direction,

The operation of the devic is simple and will be apparent in thefollowing description:

' Three solutions are placed in the three setarate tanks formed by thethree semi-circular bottoms.

The film or print P is clipped to the drum and the shaft of the drum isplaced.in the depressions in the first tank where it is rotated by meansof the handle on the shaft.

After the proper time has elapsed for the treat-. ment' in the firsttank, the drum is transferred to'the next tank by means of the transferframe and the operation can then be repeated; until the processing iscomplete, at which time the film or print can be removed and theprocesscan be repeated with other films or prints.

It will thus be seen that the device, whil it is simple to operate, willnevertheless process the film without the necessity of having theoperator handle the -film or print whil it is bein processed.

The invention therefore exemplifies a processing' device which issimple, easy to operate, and which can be cheaply manufactured and yetcan process all types of films or prints.

The invention "is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and isdesired to secure by LettersiPatentis:

l. A photograph print processing tank comprising three adjacentcompartments having semicircular bottoms and having partitions betweensaid tanks, the side walls of said tanks having opposed pairs of notchesin the side walls centrally of the compartments and at the ends of thepartitions, a drum adapted to conform to the curvature of the bottom ofsaid compartments and to receive prints or films to be processed, saiddrum having a central shaft removably received in the centralcompartment notches and having a handle for rotating said drum, and asecond.

shaft connected to said first shaft by a pair of links at the ends ofthe drum and received in the pairs of notches at the ends of thepartitions. said first shaft being rotatable about the second to shiftthe drum from-one compartment to another and said second shaft beingrotatable about said first shaft to be positioned in another pair v ofpartition notches.

drum, said drum having a second longitudinal shaft with a handle thereonlying parallel to said first shaft outside said drum and connected tosaid first shaft, said second shaft being selectively engaged .with thepairs of notches that are aligned with the partitions and having ahandle by which the drum can be swung about the second shaft fortransfer from one compartment to another and said second shaft beingswingable about said first shaft for transfer from one pair of notchesto another. STYLES T. HOWARD.

